Conducted a poll over about 3 months, and wanted to see what type of devices people were using to scan to Microsoft SharePoint. The results are in tune with what I see in the field, as folks are using a distributed scanning model with SP to put scanning into the hands of the knowledge workers. Below are the results:
So, when I look at all the customers I have worked with, and examine the feature sets that are most applied in a SharePoint environment, there are two that stand out: Routing Sheets and Advanced Data Extraction. I would say 90% of all my customers use these features in some way to make the process automated and efficient. So, what are they? How do they work? Outlines below:
Routing Sheets
I have mentioned these quite a bit on the BLOG, and they lend themselves nicely to distributed scanning from MFPs/Copiers, Faxs, network scanners, etc. A routing sheet is a combo of barcodes and/or checkboxes that can allow the end users to index prior to the scan. The information can then be translated into metadata. This feature requires Optical Mark Recognition, or OMR. So make sure your scanning product supports OMR. Below are some samples:
Advanced Data Extraction (ADE)
Many of the solutions out there today support what is called Zoning, or the ability to pick information from a specific area on a page and enter it as metadata. ADE takes that to a whole new level and provides the ability to match patterns and extract information. So if a customer needs an order number that is 6 digits, and always starts with a 7, the extraction engine can search the whole page and extract. This is a huge time saver, and allows the utmost in automation and verification of data.
Bridging the Gap Series: Microsoft, Nintex, PSIGEN, Canon and Eastridge technology Partners
Bridging the Gap:Paperless with SharePoint
When planning for scanning to SharePoint, here is a quick matrix for the impact DPI and color can have on file size, and the size of your content DBs.
| Scanning Mode/DPI | File Size |
| Black and White – 200 DPI | 26K |
| Black and White – 300 DPI | 38K |
| Black and White – 400 DPI | 51K |
| Black and White – 600 DPI | 80K |
| Greyscale – 300 DPI | 301K |
| Color- 300 DPI | 577K |
Below are 5 primary keys to implementing a successful SharePoint scanning / imaging project:
1. Make sure you do some in depth storage planning.
When imaging to SharePoint or Office 365, you need to make sure you plan for not only storage requirements, but also figure out the loading on your network. Scanning, if done incorrectly, can great a huge burden on your network and bloat your content databases. More info here: SharePoint Scanning Storage Planning
2. Leverage existing scanning devices for the pilot project.
Giving users a familiar interface will go miles towards acceptance. Make it easy, and leverage copiers or other scanners within the organization to make the transition to paperless workflows familiar. More on scanning hardware here: SharePoint Scanning Hardware
3. Involve end users in SharePoint design.
I have seen so many projects where IT just builds what they think users want. Make the layout of the site a collaborative effort, and build your site and library structures accordingly. Map paper documents to digital, and leverage content types and managed metadata . Finally, capture drives search, and make sure appropriate columns are put in place so users can find, sort and create views simply and easily.
4. Leverage folders for quick adoption.
Here we go, the old folder argument. Along with creating a familiar environment, users love folders, and they give quite a bit of power in the SharePoint world. Adding them costs nothing, and they can be turned off for users who don’t want them. Use folders.
5. Automation is key, and necessary for standardization.
Make sure you utilize a scanning application that allows for standardization rule set. Site, library, content type, folder, file naming and terms should all have the ability to be controlled and automatically set. Automation makes standardization easy, and totally transparent giving you a repeatable, consistent scanning and capture process.
When scanning to SharePoint, capturing pre-existing images, and creating searchable PDFs, there are several things you should make sure you can enable in your capture software. Below is a laundry list:
IRVINE, Calif., August 11, 2011 – PSIGEN Software, Inc., the innovative leader in SharePoint scanning and capture, announced the release of the Office 365 Scanning and Capture feature set. The new release leverages PSI:Capture’s existing SharePoint integration, and allows scanning to Microsoft’s cloud collaboration platform. PSIGEN provides a capture solution that allows dynamic routing to Office 365 sites, libraries and folders, as well as setting content type and file naming based on document characteristics.
“Early in the Office 365 development process we were approached by Microsoft and several of our key Microsoft partners that were building solutions around the platform that required specific scanning features. ” said Bruce Hensley, President of PSIGEN. “We saw an immense business opportunity, and responded quickly with enhancements to our core product to leverage Microsoft’s cloud platform.”
Along with SharePoint and Office 365, PSIGEN provides integration with over 50 different Enterprise Content Management Systems, many of which are cloud based.
Features and Information about PSI:Capture 4.0 for Office 365 – Scan to Office 365 Information
PSI:Capture: The On-ramp for Microsoft Office 365
About PSIGEN
PSIGEN Software is the innovative leader in document capture and document scanning software. Since 1995, PSIGEN has provided software to improve all the processes around the conversion of paper to digital documents. The solutions focus on cost reduction, flexibility, standardization, and improved efficiency. PSIGEN delivers these solutions through a network of resellers and distributors in the US and abroad. For more information, visit www.psigen.com.
“PSIGEN” is a registered trademark in the US, the EU and other countries. All other trademarks and registered trademarks belong to their respective owners.
CONTACT: PSIGEN Sales and Marketing: Stephen Boals, V.P. Sales, sboals@psigen.com or (949) 916-7700 x230.
Now that I have covered Sizing and Storage in Part 1, and Document Separation in Part 2, now we can start to take a look at scanning hardware. There are several key questions you need to answer: Can I use pre-existing hardware such as copiers or fax machines? Do I need a dedicated scanner? If I choose to buy a scanner, what features/characteristics are important?
Some may argue you need to decide on a scanning model before you dive into hardware (distributed, centralized, or decentralized), but I will cover this in the next section.
So let’s start with a key question:
Scanning Copier or Dedicated Scanner??
Scanning Multifunction Peripherals (MFPs/copiers) have become standard in most offices. I receive the same question all the time from prospects and customers: Can’t I just use my copier for scanning? In many cases, for a typical office, with typical documents, a copier can be an appropriate component to any scanning solution. As offices become more complex in the way they handle their documents, or they expand their scanning efforts to other departments, dedicated scanners are usually required to achieve the desired result.
Below are some interesting statistics provided by InfoTrends:
· 65 % of office workers use digital copiers/MFPs
· Over 50% use the “scan” feature daily
· 71% expect scanning requirements to increase from year to year
· 72% believe it is necessary to view images before processing
· 36% will require dedicated scanners versus MFP devices
· 36% believe they will need both scanners and MFPs
So what are the benefits/drawbacks to scanning with both types of devices? Below is a summary:
Benefits of MFPs as scanners:
Drawbacks of MFPs:
Benefits of Dedicated Scanners:
Drawbacks of Dedicated Scanners:
Above are all the pluses and minuses, but in a nutshell, when should you use a dedicated scanner?
Now that you have an idea of the pros/cons of both types of scanning devices, now let’s take a look at the different features of scanning devices, and what to look for when purchasing a dedicated scanner.
Scanning Speed
Scanning speed is a main area of focus when researching scanning hardware. A scanner’s speed is usually directly proportional to its price, but you have to ask yourself one question: How long do you have to accomplish your scanning tasks? If you buy that cheapo scanner at an office products store that scans at 8 pages per minute, good luck in getting those 10 file cabinets scanned. Another note to mention is that all the manufacturers rate their scanner speeds at 200 DPI. If you need high quality images, or are performing OCR, 300 DPI will probably be necessary. This will significantly slow down your scanning speed, as will color scanning and duplex (2-sided) scanning on some models.
Document Feeder Capacity
The document feeder provides you the ability to load anywhere from 1-1000+ sheets into the scanner. The feeder capacity you require all depends on the volume of paperwork you are scanning, and if you are using an intelligent capture application that provides the ability to use separator sheets to split documents automatically. If you are a Law Firm that routinely scans 200 page documents, then that is a good starting point for your feeder size requirements. This allows you to load your documents, and then let the scanner do the work.
Another focus area related to the feeder is the maximum and minimum paper sizes. If you intend to scan legal size paper or insurance cards, make sure the scanner can handle them.
Daily Duty Cycle
The Duty Cycle (DC) is a rating of the scanner’s durability, and defines just how much paper you can feed through the hardware in a day. If you are scanning 3000 pages per day, you do not want to buy a small desktop scanner with a DC of 750. What happens if you exceed this number? Nothing to begin with, but as time goes on the wear and tear on the unit will begin to show in the form of jams, miss feeds, skewing, etc. This number is also tied to the replacement of consumables (rollers and pads). If you continually exceed the DC, you will more than pay for a higher level scanner in consumables over time, and your maintenance costs may go way up.
Scanning Mode
Most scanners nowadays can scan both sides of your document, but there are still some lingering models that will only do simplex scanning. Also, if you have the requirement to scan color documents, ensure that color scanning is supported.
Warranty and Service
All warranties are not created equal. Some scanner manufacturers provide “depot” type service where you have to ship your scanner for warranty service. Others will provide onsite warranty service for a specified period of time. Along with this, the time period on the warranty also varies everywhere from 30 days, to a full year. Scanner service is a separate purchase, and in some cases, can be a shock to the purchaser. A basic service plan on a mid-range scanner can cost over $1000 per year. Get an advanced plan that provides Preventative Maintenance visits, and you could be in the $1500 – $2000 range, depending on your model. Get all the details up front, and some manufacturers will provide multi-year discounts on service.
Image Processing
Definitely investigate the image processing software that comes bundled with your scanner. This software will improve the quality of your images, remove shading, borders, etc. Many of the manufacturers now provide third party image processing software (Kofax VRS), but several have their own built into their drivers. Most capture software also has built in image processing components as well.
So hopefully this will answer the majority of your questions on hardware. Remember, hardware is just part of the overall capture solution. Follow on articles will cover information on software selection and required features.
